Summary of the thesis of educational science doctor: Managing lower secondary teachers’ in-service training activities towards competency approach

Basing on theoretical study of managing lower secondary teachers’ in-service training activities towards competency approach and current analysis of this issue in provinces surrounding Hanoi, the author proposed management measures to improve the quality of lower secondary teachers, meeting goal of the basic and comprehensive renewal of our lower secondary education in the current period.

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING VIETNAM INSTITUTE OF EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES

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TRAN ĐANG KHOI

MANAGING TEACHERS’ TRAINING ACTIVITIES

AT LOWER SECONDARY EDUCATION TOWARDS COMPETENCY APPROACH

SUMMARY OF THE THESIS OF EDUCATIONAL SCIENCE DOCTOR

Special: Education Management

Code: 9.14.01.14

HANOI – 2019

The Thesis was completed at:

VIETNAM INSTITUTE OF EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES

Scientific instructors:

1 A Prof Dr NGO QUANG SON

VIETNAM ACADEMY FOR ETHNIC MINORITIES

2 Dr TRAN VAN HUNG

VIETNAM INSTITUTE OF EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES

Being able to search for the thesis at:

- The National Library

- The library of Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences

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INTRODUCTION

1 The rationale for choosing the research topic

Teachers played an important part, sometime being seen as a decisive role of education quality Active teaching methods always considered learners as center However, the main character in modern schools was still teachers, because the quality

of education couldn’t be higher than teachers’ quality in an educational system Teachers’ quality was mainly expressed through professional competency On the other hand, teachers’ competency was not constant, needed to improve continuously Teachers are required to improve themselves, develop professional capacity and mainly through their training in the context of current society and education system as well The fundamental concept of teachers’ training is the philosophy of "lifelong learning" There are many approaches to fostering teachers, and competency-based approach is of great attention According to this approach, some urgent issues were: which competencies should be trained for students at universities of education, which professional competencies needed for teachers, process to develop teachers’ professional competencies in activities of professional training/assessment, determining objectives, contents, methods and forms of teachers’ training in previous researches

In Law of Education and other documents of the Party and State, teacher's role is highly appreciated in terms of quality assurance in the educational system However, the current quality of our teachers was with limitations The Instruction 40-CT/TW [1] of the Party clearly stated that "In front of the new requirement of the educational development in period of industrialization and modernization, teachers and educational managers have limitations and shortcomings such as shortage of teachers, especially in remote, isolated and ethnic minority areas; inadequate teachers’ professional quality; educational managers’ competency did not meet development requirements of the educational cause”

In addition, the current renewal of education and curriculum/textbooks have got a great impact on fostering and managing teachers’ training activities, in which key issues need to address were: to train necessary knowledge and skills, scope of in-service trainings and ways to organize these trainings

Lower secondary education is the following stage after primary education level in the national education system, including grade 6 to grade 9 It provides basic knowledge and skills Graduating from this level, major students keep further study, others can finish education and directly enter the labor market, participate in country's workforce Managing lower secondary teachers’ training played an important role in improving teachers’ professional competency and thereby improving education quality

at this level Teachers’ competency-based management was a main trend, being applied

in many countries, including developed countries such as the US, Europe, Russia, Australia, Korea and countries with socio-economic conditions similar to Vietnam such

as China and Thailand

There have been many domestic and foreign scientific researches on this issue However, there has not been any specific research on managing lower secondary teachers’ in-service training activities towards competency approach Therefore, the

author decided to choose the dissertation topic "Managing lower secondary teachers’ in-service training activities towards competency approach”

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2 Aims of the study

Basing on theoretical study of managing lower secondary teachers’ in-service training activities towards competency approach and current analysis of this issue in provinces surrounding Hanoi, the author proposed management measures to improve the quality of lower secondary teachers, meeting goal of the basic and comprehensive renewal of our lower secondary education in the current period

3 Object and subject of the study

of this activity will be improved, then improving lower secondary teachers’ professional competency and quality, meeting the cause of renewing the current basic and comprehensive secondary education

5 Tasks of the study

5.1 Studying theoretical base on managing lower secondary teachers’ in-service training activities in surrounding provinces towards competency approach

5.2 Surveying status of implementing and managing lower secondary teachers’ service training activities in surrounding provinces towards competency approach 5.3 Proposing management solutions for the lower secondary teachers’ in-service training activities towards competency approach

in-5.4 Evaluating management solutions for the lower secondary teachers’ service training activities towards competency approach with important features such as necessity and feasibility

in-5.5 Experimenting several management solutions for lower secondary teachers’ in-service training activities towards competency approach at schools in surrounding

provinces in Hanoi

6 Scope of study

The objective of the thesis is to study theoretical base and management status of

lower secondary teachers’ in-service training activities in surrounding provinces in

Hanoi, then propose management solutions to improve the management quality of the lower secondary teachers’ in-service training activities towards competency approach Due to limited conditions, the author only selected 3 provinces out of 10 provinces surrounding Hanoi, namely: Vinh Phuc, Hai Duong and Thai Nguyen The selection satisfys representative method towards criteria: Geographical conditions; Regional conditions; Conditions on levels of economic development - education (difficult, medium, favorable) are applied to ensure the reliability of the results of studying the situation of the problem These conditions were used to ensure feasibility of research findings

• Managing lower secondary teachers’ in-service training activities towards competency approach is meaningful in terms of practical implications for teachers’ in-service training activities in general and for lower secondary teachers in particular in surrounding provinces in Hanoi;

• Managing lower secondary teachers’ in-service training activities towards competency approach is suitable for secondary schools surrounding Hanoi If these measures are suggested into school current management, school quality and effectiveness will much be improved, then improved the professional capacity or teachers’ quality in this area, meeting the current renewal of basic and fundamental education in Vietnam

9 New contributions of the study

9.1 In terms of theory

- Overview of domestic and foreign researches on teachers’ in-service training activities and its management based different approaches, focusing on competency-based approach;

- Generalizing and systematizing research finding of teachers’ in-service training activities and its management towards competency approach Clarifying theoretical issues such as: trained competencies and professional capacity, teachers’ in-service training activities towards competency approach, philosophy of lifelong learning and self-improvement;

- Proposing management process of teachers’ in-service training activities towards competency approach

9.2 In terms of practical research

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Assessing the real management of teachers’ in-service training activities towards competency approach at lower secondary schools surrounding Hanoi according to the proposed management process in chapter I

9.3 Proposing management solutions for teachers’ in-service training activities

towards competency approach

Seven management solutions for teachers’ in-service training activities towards competency approach were proposed The author conducts testing to demonstrate high necessity and feasibility of measures The solution: "Evaluating competency, identifying demand for teachers’ in-service training towards goals" at experimental lower secondary schools through the correctness and effectiveness of these proposed measures when being applied in practice

10 Structure of the study

• Introduction

• Chapter 1 Theoretical rationale for managing lower secondary teachers’

in-service training activities towards competency approach

• Chapter 2 Real situation of managing lower secondary teachers’ in-service training activities towards competency approach

• Chapter 3 Management solutions for lower secondary teachers’ in-service

training activities on competency approach

• Conclusion and recommendations

• List of published scientific works

The reviews were carried out towards research findings as followings:

1.1.1 Researches on teachers’ in-service training activities

Major studies mainly focused on:

1) Teachers’ training and retraining were regular activities that teachers needed to foster and develop their competency during professional life; Changing from static to dynamic concepts, viewpoint of "lifelong learning" is the pillar;

2) Trend of teachers’ training and retraining changed from concentrated to based forms

school-3) Analyzing the situation of lower secondary teachers, identifying content, methods, ways of fostering activities and proposing measures to renew teachers’ training and retraining methods

Noticeable researchers were M Dvelay [101], N.L Bondurep [12], J Nimier [48],

P Besnard [71], Nguyen Thi Binh [4], Tran Ba Hoanh [41], Belyaeva E.N.[120] with key issues: trained competency, professional competency, social competency, fundamental competency of personality, teachers’ professional competence, the

“formation of teachers’ professional competence in enhancing/improving their qualifications” basing on experiences of America, Russia and Europe

1.1.2 Researches on managing teachers’ in-service training activities

Major studies mainly focused on:

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1) Affirming the importance of teachers’ in-service training and its management

to teacher themselves, managers and the educational development of each country as well

2) Considering teachers’ in-service training activities is a key factor to improve the quality of education Each country has various forms to foster teachers but they all emphasized lifelong learning, self-fostering, educational management agencies and schools to create favorable conditions to develop teachers’ career development

3) The research proposed many management measures to improve the effectiveness of managing teachers’ in-service training in the current period

Several famous researchers in this field were Patrice Pelpel [67], Marguerite Altet [62], UNESCO [117], Nguyen Van Le [55]…

1.1.3 Researches on managing teachers’ in-service training activities towards

competency approach

Major research issues were mentioned:

1) Different approaches to teachers’ professional competence;

2) Contents, implications for teachers’ professional competence;

3) Managing in-service training activities to develop teachers' competence

1.2 Some basic concepts

Basic concepts were clarified such as:

▪ Teachers and lower secondary teachers;

▪ Fostering, fostering teachers and activity of teachers’ in-service training;

▪ Activity of lower secondary teachers’ in-service training; Managing activities of

lower secondary teachers’ in-service training;

▪ Definitions of competency and competency of lower secondary teachers’

▪ Managing activities of lower secondary teachers’ in-service training towards

competency approach

The term competency rooted from Latin meaning "competentia" Most people shared viewpoints that competency includes: knowledge; skills, attitudes (personality, moral qualities) Sometimes, other components were added such as perspective, excitement, will, belief, and context According to its classification, there were: trained competency, Professional competency, career competency; Method competency; Social competency; Personal competency In terms of low to high levels, there were: general competencies; Talent; Genius

There are many approaches to activity of lower secondary teachers’ in-service training, in which competency-based approach was of concern in both theory and practice Teachers’ in-service training activities towards competency approach aims to solve key issues: trained competency at universities of education; teachers’ necessary competency in their professional activities; competencies need to be updated, innovated and developed; competency development during teachers’ in-service training process; its effectiveness The implications of this concept will be further clarified in section 1.5 when studying contents of teachers’ retraining activities towards competency approach

1.3 Professional features of lower secondary teachers

Lower secondary teachers played an important part and high position in society The dissertation clarifies the rights of teachers and analyzes tasks of subject teachers and homeroom teachers The author also analyzed requirements of teachers about: Quality, morality and thought; Professional qualifications; Health and their personal Curriculum Vitae

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To become a lower secondary teacher, you must meet qualification standard of a lower secondary teacher such as: finished college of education or college with certificate of teachers’ professional training

Another feature was: teachers taught many subjects at primary education level and, teachers only taught one subject at high school level At lower secondary schools, teachers taught at least 2 subjects In addition, they also participated in teaching activities inside and outside classroom, both in the curricular and extracurricular programs

The staff norms of lower secondary teachers was towards Circular No 5/2006/ TTLT/BGDTT-BNV from Ministry of Education and Training, and Circular 16/2017/

TT - BGDDT (Guiding list of job position framework) According to this circular, scope

of lower secondary teachers was determined by teacher’s position, depending on factors

of class size, regional features, ethnicity and special education

Some common features of teachers' profession: human interaction; Teachers' labor with special results, shaping social characters with their decisive role in the country’s socio-economic development These occupational features require teachers to make endless efforts and life-long learning

1.4 Competency models of lower secondary teachers

Lower secondary teachers are laborers in group of trained profession Trained competency is an initial competency when teachers start teaching activity- professional activity There have been 3 main models of teachers’ competency training: 1) Competency-based training; 2) training towards competency structure and 3) Training towards professional personality Working conpetency of lower secondary teachers comprised 4 main competency models: 1) Structure model of professional competency; 2) model of Professional personality (trained competency); 3) Competency framework (for levels of education) and 4) Competency standard of lower secondary teachers

1.4.1 Model of competency-based training

Attitudes

Skills

Knowledge

Figure 1.2 : Competeny = Knowledge + Skills+ Attitudes

Trained competency (Starting point of professional

competency)

Working conpetency

Frame of teachers’

competency (for different levels)

Competency standard of lower secondary teachers

Structure model of professional competency

Competency-

based training

Professional personality

Figure 1.1 Competency models of lower secondary teachers

1.4.2 Model of competency structure

Figure 1.3 Competency structure

According to Bernd Meier [3], there are 4 basic elements in model of competency

structure: competencies of profession, method, society and person (Figure 1.3)

1.4.3 Model of professional personality

According to Phạm Minh Hạc [37], there have been 4 main elements in teachers’personality structure (Figure 1.4): 1) Professional trend; 2) Professional experience; 3) Psychological features of profession and 4) Biological features These elements combined with each other, created teachers’ qualities and professional

competency and "with close interaction among them”

1.4.4 Teachers’ professional competency framework

It is difficult to clarify teachers’ competencies due to the multi-level nature of the profession Each educational level requires a different level of training and professional competencies Therefore, it is a tendency to develop various frameworks for assessing teachers at learning levels

Many international teachers’ competency frameworks were presented such as: in

US (4 standards: 1) Professional knowledge; 2) Professional practice; 3) Professional value and 4) Professional relations; In Germany, professional competencies was also

Professional quality

(Moral)

Professional competency

(Talent) Figure 1.4: Model structure of professional personality

Professional

trend

Professional experience

Psychological features of profession

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divided into 4 groups with different name and connotations Vietnamese researchers have set up a competency framework (Table 1.1) [42] that included 3 standards and 12 criteria as follows:

1) Professional knowledge (4 criteria: i) Understanding knowledge and subject curriculum; ii) Understanding theory, teaching methods and curriculum development; iii) Understanding Educational Psychology and iv) Understanding Testing-Assessment

in teaching and education;

2) Organize teaching and educational activities (4 criteria: i) Planning teaching and education; ii) Implementing teaching and educational plans; iii) Developing a learning environment and education and iv) Testing-Assessment;

3) Developing personal quality and professional values (4 criteria: i) Professional development; ii) Communication - treatment; iii) Political, ethical qualities and iv) Developing communities for teaching and education

1.4.5 Model of lower secondary teachers’ competency standard

Professional competency standards of secondary teachers (High School and Lower Secondary School) were stipulated in Circular N0.30/2009/TT-BGDDT [5], included 6 standards with 25 criteria and applied from school year 2009-2010 From August 2018, Ministry of Education and Training issued Circular N0.20/2018/TT-BGD & DT,

mentioned Regulations on professional standards of secondary teachers [10] General

standards for teachers at 3 education levels (Primary, lower secondary and upper secondary levels), applied from school year 2018-2019 There were 5 standards with 15 criteria The general comparison of these two sets of professional competency standards was shown in Table 1.2

Table 1.2 The general comparison of MoET professional competency standards 2009 &2018

secondary teachers 2009

Professional standards for teachers of

general education 2018

1 Moral qualities (5) Teachers’ qualities (2)

2 Competency of knowing about the

object and the educational

environment (2)

Professional/technical development (5)

3 Competency of teaching (8) Setting up an educational environment (3)

4 Competency of education (6) Developing relationships among schools,

families and society (3)

5 Competency of political and social

activities (2)

Using foreign languages or ethnic languages, applying IT, exploiting and using technology equipment in teaching and learning (2)

6 Competency of professional

development (2)

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Notes: Numbers in parenthesis are the amount of criteria in standard

1.5 Activities of lower secondary teachers’ in-service training towards competency

1.5.1 Features of activities of lower secondary teachers’ in-service training

In this section, the author briefly presents characteristics of general teachers’ service training, referring to its inevitability, regularity, continuity and variety

Perspectives on teachers’ necessary professional competencies will be expressed

in this section The European Union highly appreciates the social competency of employees, seen it as a fundamental competency [120], that is: 1) Political and social competency; 2) The ability to live in a multicultural society; 3) Communication competency, in which language competency is increasingly valuable; 4) Competency related to information society, it is important to grasp technology and criticise information; and 5) Competency and desire for lifelong learning

Russian educators highly appreciate some professional competencies of lower secondary teachers through teaching/learning subjects such as: 1) Professional competency shown through teaching; 2) Methodological competency; 3) Psycho-social competency; 4) Psycho-diversification competency in new field, ability and orientation

to students; 5) Psychological competency to recognize advantages and disadvantages of self-operation and personality and 6) Open competency

1.5.3 Objectives of in-service training

1.5.4 Contents of teachers’ in-service training

1.5.5 Forms and organization of in-service training

1.6 Managing activity of lower secondary teachers’ in-service training towards competency approach

Surveying, assessing competency of lower secondary teachers’ in-service training

Identifying demand of lower secondary teachers’

in-service training Managing, developing contents of in-service training

Organizing, implementing teachers’ in-service training

Supervising, inspecting the implementation of the plan Leading, directing the implementation of the plan Planning secondary teachers’ in-service training

Assessing, summarizing the implementation

Figure 1.1 Procedure manage lower secondary teachers’ in-service training

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In this section, the author clarifies subject and object of management, in which

subject of management should be clearly stated The competency standard 2018 clearly

showed responsibility among levels of state management: 1) The Ministry of Education and Training, directly Department of Teachers and Education Managers; 2) Provincial Department of Education and Training; 3) Division of Education and training and 4) General education institutions

Thus, there are 4 levels of management subject affecting teachers in the process

of managing teachers’ in-service training

In this thesis, the author mainly focuses on the most direct management level, that

is secondary schools or general schools

Process of managing teachers’ in-service training was presented in the article in the Vietnam Journal of Educational Science [52], included steps in Figure 1.1

1.6.1 Assessing profession competency of lower secondary teachers

This assessment was based on 3 approaches: 1) Assessing towards professional qualifications or trained competency There are 4 levels of professional qualifications: graduation from professional high school, college, university and postgraduate; 2) Evaluating towards professional qualifications At the general level, lower secondary teachers are classified into groups: 1) Unqualified; 2) Qualified; 3) Over qualified The third approach was based on professional standards This is an assessment of lower secondary teachers’ professional activities (once/2 years according to Teacher Standard 2018 [10]) It is the basis for implementing the following steps in management process of teachers’ in-service training with 3 levels of competence: satisfied, good and excellent In addition, teachers can satisfy "key-person" level with specific criteria and responsibilities

1.6.2 Managing activity of lower secondary teachers’ in-service training

1.6.2.1 Identifying demands for lower secondary teachers’ in-service training

Every year, the principal reviews and determines needs for secondary teachers’ service training, then clarifies the basis for developing a plan to foster and supplement for teachers’ necessary competencies, avoiding repeating the given contents Determining teachers' needs in terms of quantity and structure will support management activity of effective teachers’ in-service training

in-1.6.2.2 Managing, developing objectives of teachers’ in-service training

The determination of demands needs to be developed towards the objectives of teachers’ in-service training, responds to the question: What is the purpose of teachers’ in-service training? The previous goal of this training was: i)To meet standards and ii)To improve professional standards

The management of developing objectives of teachers’ in-service training towards competency approach requires identifying the needs for following objectives:

1) Retraining and fostering competencies to meet job requirements;

2) Fostering to obtain additional qualifications and certificates such as: diplomas / certificates in political theory, education management, administrative management 3) Training and retraining to meet professional standards;

4) Fostering to improve professional standards;

5) Fostering to update new, modern and advanced professional knowledge and skills;

6) Fostering up to curriculum changes, textbook;

7) Fostering through projects, schemes, pilot and implementation programs;

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8) Enhancing knowledge, self-learning and self-development skills

1.6.3 Managing to set up contents of teachers’ in-service training program

1.6.4 Managing and developing plans for lower secondary teachers’ in-service training activities

1.6.5 Managing inplementiation of the plan of in-service training activitis for techers

Managing resources to ensure the implementation of plan included: Facilities conditions, Manpower management to participate in lower secondary teachers’ in-service training; Managing financial resources for in-service training activities

1.6.6 Management of testing and evaluation of training results

1.7 Some basic impact factors to manage lower secondary teachers’ service training activities towards competency approach

in-1.7.1 Guidelines and policies of the Party and the State for developing teaching staff through in-service training activities

1.7.2 Awareness of managers and teachers about the position and role of service training activities in developing personal career

in-1.7.3 Current requirements of educational renewal in terms of lower secondary teachers’ in-service training activities

1.7.4 Technical conditions and facilities for lower secondary teachers’ in-service training activities

SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 1

Basing on theoretical researches, the author drew some following conclusions: 1) To foster and manage teachers’ in-service training activities in general and for lower secondary teachers in particular, it is a matter of theoretical and practical usefuness with great concern from international/domestic scientists, managers

2) To research and clarify the basic related concepts

3) To clarify and distinguish two major competencies of teachers: Trained and professional competencies Many models of competency training are still of theoretical and practical values, such as competency model, Model of competency structure, and Personality Model Two last models are also applied to assess the operational competency of teachers when they work

4) Model of working competency includes: model of professional personality, competency framework and standard of professional competency Competency standards consist of dynamic professional levels, being increased according to the new social requirements The Ministry of Education and Training has issued the first standards in 2009 [5] for upper secondary teachers and the new standard in 2018 [10] for general teachers These standards were widely and effectively applied into assessing lower secondary teachers’ competencies

5) There were many factors having impact on managing lower secondary teachers’ in-service training activities Research findings will support to manage the quality and efficiency of lower secondary teachers’ in-service training activities